This invention relates to a guardian system for monitoring an individual. More specifically, this invention relates to a system that is used by a cognitively-impaired individual, such as an Alzheimer patient, that both monitors and assists the patient with day-to-day activities.
There are an estimated 35.6 million people worldwide with dementia; this figure is estimated to double to 66 million by 2030 and reach 115 million by 2050. These increases will be especially prevalent in low and middle-income countries. These numbers are increasing primarily due the rapid aging of the world population and will have enormous impact on all societies. The slow regression of the individuals' cognitive abilities is one of the main causes of disabilities in the elderly. Dementia's long duration causes an average of ten years of disability in the general population, whereas heart disease causes less than five years and cancer causes less than four years. Dementia has a major impact on independent living. In developed countries, cognitive decline is often the precipitant for institutional placement, whereas people with quite severe physical impairment may continue to live at home with in home care. It is important to note that as much as three-quarters of nursing home residents have dementia.
The financial burden is difficult enough for high-income countries, but with the epidemic hitting low and middle-income countries (particularly in Asia) there may be potentially unmanageable societal costs. Presently, these countries have relied on extended family support to keep these individuals at home. But with the children of the cognitively impaired and their spouses working and grandchildren studying away from home this practice is becoming less commonplace. In the next 10-15 years, the initial bubble of dementia will be arriving. There is a need to keep these individuals at home with families or alone during the mild to moderate stages.
The early to moderate stages of dementia last from three to eight years, with the major initial cognitive deficit being short-term memory loss. These individuals are physically able to do tasks in the home, such as dressing, taking medicine, simple cooking, and bathing, but they need reminders due their memory loss. They also do better in their own homes with its familiar surroundings. This environment is reassuring for because these surroundings are retained in the memory of the individual until the later stages of the disease when long-term memory is lost. If these individuals could be maintained in their own homes, even for an additional 1-2 years before assisted living or nursing home placement, the savings to the individual and society would be enormous. Nursing home care in high-income countries can range from $2,500 up to $6,000/month; delaying placement even by 1 to 2 months would pay for the costs for this invention. This does not include the significant decrease in family's stress and improved patient safety provided by this device. The cost for dementia care ranges from $1,500 in low-income countries to $17,000 in high-income countries.
High-income countries are developing sophisticated monitoring devices for smart homes and remote monitoring that may be able to keep these individuals in their homes longer. But what is needed is a more cost efficient alternative that individuals in low and middle-income countries can afford with readily available technology and infrastructure already in place.
Therefore, a need exists for a scalable, inexpensive system that provides basic monitoring, reminders, and safety features. There is also a need for a system that is able to be used in an emergency by pressing an alarm button, and in the late stages of dementia, when the individual does not remember how to press the alarm button, monitors vital body signals (heart rate, falls, oxygen saturations, etc.) for health. The system should also be able to locate the individual in the home. In the event that the individual becomes lost outside the home the system should be able to locate them by GPS and communicate with them for reassurance and directions back to the home.
Thus, a principal objective of the present invention is to provide a cost-efficient guardian system for a cognitively-impaired individual.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a guardian system for an individual that is easy to use and aesthetically pleasing.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a guardian system for an individual that assists caregivers and the patient with their disease.
These and other objectives, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.